2 posts tagged “redemption”

I was moved by a recent email that I received from a friend regarding the Amish shootings.  I asked her if I could share it....

I am sure by now you have all heard about the Amish shootings that took place in the one room school house in Bart township in Lancaster County. It has really hit Rob and I hard on several levels. For starters the murders happened just 2-3 miles from where we used to live when we lived on the outskirts of Quarryville. We naturally began to think about our old neighbors and what ages their children would be and wandered if they were some of the victims -- but came to remember that they actually went to a different one room school house that was slightly closer to where we lived. None the less our old neighbors share in the pain and are hurting.

 

On another level we are sharing in the pain of all those involved. The man who did the murdering was the son of one of the members of our body at Sight and Sound. Two of his brothers also worked at Sight and Sound in the past. So when one hurts the whole body hurts. Talk about something changing ones whole attitude and perspective to the situation. When you hear about the shootings in Colorado where you are so far removed from the situation you can start to think of the man who did the wrong as such a monster and a horrible person. But they really are just hurting people - hurting other people. I am reminded how we as humans rank thing in degrees of wrongness, yet in God's eyes there is no difference between my wrong attitudes or that man's murder. It's all sin and in need of redemption.

 

I stopped to think that apart from the grace of God it could have been you or I that murdered those young girls. The family of the murderer really was no different than our family. The woman we work with is a beautiful Christian woman who we should pass no blame to the parenting. They as the parents are just so at a loss to even begin to understand and make any sense out of it, or how it could have happened. I guess it is just a wake up call to deal with hurts,  face them and allow God to be a part of the healing process. Who on this earth has not been kissed with hurt?

 

It is amazing how time can erase the sting of suicide we all felt so many years ago. And yet I am grateful for the freshness of this current sting as it serves to keep me compassionate to the hurting around me. I encourage you to pray for the Roberts family. I don't know how one ever picks up the pieces from an experience like this. Yet they must. God is faithful to bring his redemptive healing work in their lives. And Jesus will be glorified!!

 

Just a few of the ways God has been glorified through it already (yet you won't hear this on the news):

 

-- The Amish have visited [the murderer's parents'] home various times to extend their love, grace and forgiveness. They have spent hours just embracing [his father] as he cried.

-- The funeral costs for Charles Roberts (the murder) have been paid for by non family members.(talk about grace) 

-- The Amish medical and hospital costs have been completely erased and given free of charge by the hospital. 

 

Wow -- talk about God's redemptive work through his body.

 

Thanking God for the gift of you (and his glory at work in you.)

 

Lovingly,

 

Lynelle